From February 2015, Universal Credit will be rolled out across Birmingham. If you are claiming Universal Credit, you cannot claim housing benefit. Please visit GOV.uk for more information.

If you are eligible for housing benefit, the amount you will get depend on who lives you, your total income and any savings you may have. It can also be affected by the amount of rooms your family needs.

If you are eligible for council tax support, it will be taken off the amount of council tax you have to pay. If you are not eligible for council tax support, you may be entitled to a second adult rebate.

What do we need from you?

You will need to have the following information available when you make a claim:

Your income and savings details, including any benefits you get

Proof of benefits:

Benefit award letters

Pension award letters

Current bank statements showing the payment having been received

Court award letter in respect of maintenance

Proof of earnings:

five consecutive weekly payslips, or two consecutive monthly wage slips

three consecutive fortnightly wage slips

if you are not able to provide payslips, we will accept a letter from your employer on their headed notepaper giving your full income details

if you are self-employed, we will accept a copy of your most recent accounts, or if these are not available, you can complete a self-employed claim form which is available to download. (attach document here)

Proof of savings if over £6,000:

bank or building society account statements for the last two months

share certificates

premium bonds

savings certificates

ISAs

If you are working, your employer’s name and address

National insurance numbers for you and your partner, if you have one.
You can find this informatin on:

wage slips

P45s and P60s

letters from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

a National Insurance card

Income details for your partner, if you have one

Names, dates of birth and details of income/savings for anyone over 18 who lives with you who isn’t your partner. We won’t need this if you or your partner, if you have one, is registered blind or in receipt of Attendance Allowance/DLA care rate or the PIP equivalent.

Your tenancy start date, the amount you pay in rent, the amount of bedrooms your home has and your landlord’s name and address, this information should all be available on your tenancy agreement

• If you are a private tenant, your bank account details

If you don’t have all the information available, you should still make the claim. You can provide the other information at a later date.